PI3K/mTOR pathway is an intracellular signaling pathway that regulates cell growth, cell proliferation, cell motility, cell survival, protein synthesis, and transcription. The deregulation of the PI3K/mTOR is one of the major causes of cancer such as breast cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer. PI3K/mTOR is one of the three major signaling pathways that have been identified as important in cancer. PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway plays an important role in cancer stem cell self-renewal and resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy and hence dictates the success or failure of cancer chemotherapy. Hence, this pathway is considered important in determining the progression and/or cure for cancer.
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key signaling molecule downstream in PI3K signaling pathway. mTOR also known as a mechanistic target of rapamycin or FK506 binding protein 12-rapamycin associated protein 1 (FRAP1) is a protein which in humans is encoded by the FRAP1 gene. mTOR is a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates cell growth, cell proliferation, cell motility, cell survival, protein synthesis, and transcription. mTOR integrates the input from upstream pathways, including insulin, growth factors (such as IGF-1 and IGF-2), and amino acids. mTOR also senses cellular nutrient and energy levels and redox status. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has emerged as a critical effector in cell-signaling pathways commonly deregulated in human cancers. This has led to the prediction that mTOR inhibitors may be useful in oncology. The dysregulation of the mTOR pathway has been found to be a contributing factor of a variety of cancer. Hence inhibitors of PI3K/mTOR pathways are believed to have a role in cancer inhibition.
Therefore, there is a need for the molecules that have mTOR enzyme selectively or in combination with other enzymes which inhibit the PI3K/mTOR pathway such as PI3K.